“We’re up against what’s called a hard cap,” Paxson said on the show, according to ESPN Chicago. “In order for us to do something, we’re not in a position to take on any real salary so we’re kind of limited in what we can do.

“I think our team has grown—it’s not always pretty, let’s face it; we’ve had some ugly games this year and that’s kind of who we are right now. But we do grind it out and play hard. You’re always on the lookout to do certain things, but I think our move hopefully will be bringing Derrick back into the fold.”

That doesn’t sound like Rose is indispensable. Obviously the Bulls would like to keep him and get him healthy. And the cap would make a move difficult. But Paxson left a crack in the confidence code by saying “hopefully” the team can bring back Rose.

Chicago is a game-and-half behind the Knicks but has beaten them three times already. They trail the Heat by three games. Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer have carried the team in Rose’s absence, and they aren’t far off.

Another scorer acquired by the Feb. 21 deadline could allow the Bulls to take one more big step in the second half of the season. But it would come with a financial and personnel risk.

The most likely scenario is Paxson will keep an eye on trade possibilities but will hold steady as he awaits Rose’s full recovery.